Donor Stories | Giving | Avon Old Farms | Boys Boarding High School in CT

We all have the potential to do a substantial amount of good in the world. I choose Avon. I want other boys to have similar opportunities and role models guiding them to be productive young men with strong values.

As a wealth advisor, estate planning plays a significant role in my daily practice. Planned giving is an opportunity to give back to the institutions that have affected my life. Avon was significant in teaching me strong values, compassion and hard work. Because of Avon’s influence I am choosing to leave a part of my estate to Avon. I want to help make an Avon education possible for students who could not otherwise afford to attend such a fine institution.

What I valued was the fact there wasn't much fluff; you got what you deserved. I vividly remember sophomore English with Peter Evans. I turned in one particular essay that received an F- -. Wow, I thought, I didn't know you could get a grade below an F (full disclosure, I wrote it during lunch)! Fortunately, I outgrew my adolescent attitude before any permanent damage was done and as a result, my corresponding academic performance improved. Junior year I had Skip Flanagan for English. My first vocab quiz earned a grade of 94%. Pretty good, I thought. Dr. Flanagan's note, however, in red pen, read simply, "You cannot allow your quiz grades to drop below this level." For the next two years, I didn't. Whether it was in the classroom, on the athletic field, or anywhere else, "teachable moments" were ubiquitous with this faculty on this campus. Their role modeling showed me (sometimes grudgingly, I admit) what was possible. As time went by, my own aspirations and perseverance took over and I began to raise my own expectations of myself! For Avon's role modeling combined with giving me what I deserved (nothing more, nothing less) I will be forever grateful and loyal.

Today, Avon Old Farms School continues to be a vibrant, caring community that challenges and launches smart, compassionate young men into the world to make it better....still one individual at a time. Avon helped me to become a passionate, dedicated, and committed educator and risk-taker, who I am still.

As difficult, challenging, and, yes, sometimes even a little embarrassing as it was at Avon, it was also caring, inspiring, and uniquely nourishing to my young self. This is why, as a member of the Riddle Society, I am leaving part of my estate to Avon to help sustain and extend those values and experiences that sustained me. It is also why I encourage others, as they are able, to do likewise.

When I started giving it was primarily from phone calls from a classmate, Carl Emmons. One day Anne Black from the Alumni and Development office called and shared that Carl Emmons had suggested she call me and during the course of the conversation she mentioned that Carl committed to creating an endowment. Not one to be one upped by my friend I agreed to start one, which became my first to the music program. The next time I had the opportunity to talk to Carl (who passed away recently) I said something to the effect, "darn it Carl, every time I hear your name it costs me money!" I since started a second endowment towards the LaRocque Faculty Fund when Ken retired. I have also named Avon in my will. I have done all of these things because the school has grown in so many positive ways to the benefit of so many more young men, and I'm proud to be a part of supporting their efforts!

What we found at Avon Old Farms was a community where boys could thrive, a school on a beautiful campus with state-of-the- art facilities, a challenging class environment with dedicated teachers, and advisors who really know their students. And there is a curriculum that encourages all students to participate in sports and gives them opportunities to explore music and art.

We were fortunate to be able to provide the private school experience for our children and provide scholarship aid for other students. We believe in the mission of Avon Old Farms as it strives to be the best school for boys. It has been natural for us to continue our philanthropy at the school with a bequest in our estate plan.

“As I was closing in on retirement and developing an estate plan, I reflected on my life as well as the people and organizations that were the most influential in my development and made the greatest contribution to whatever success I’ve achieved. Avon was at the top of the list. It changed my life,” he continues. “I wanted to offer that same opportunity to a deserving boy by establishing in my will the John D. Wendler ‘68 Scholarship.”

“Once I determined the amount of my scholarship and type of student I wanted it to be awarded to, I worked with Peter Evans to structure my donation in a way that best fit my financial situation. Initially, I put my entire gift in my will. But then, I decided I wanted to see my scholarship activated and given to a worthy student while I was still alive. So, with a payment of $100,000 in 2018, at my 50th Reunion, my scholarship was formally established and used for the first time during the 2018/19 school year to provide financial assistance to an outstanding boy who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to attend Avon, just like me. And when I received a thank you note from the first recipient of my scholarship, I felt a tremendous sense of satisfaction that I was fortunate to be able to do this, all because of what Avon did for me.”